Racing game



Dec. 14, 1965 N. P. RISO 3,223,417

RACING GAME Filed Aug. 23, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INV EN TOR. Q CHOL A5PA /50 IMQ Q A TTORNEYS N. P. RISO 3,223,417

RACING GAME Dec. 14, 1965 2 SheetS -Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 23, 1962 UnitedStates Patent Office 3,223,417 Patented Dec. 14, 1965 3,223,417 RACINGGAME Nicholas P. Riso, 398 Huntington Ave., Buffalo, N.Y. Filed Aug. 23,1962, Ser. No. 218,872

2 Claims. (Cl. 273-86) This invention relates to a game or amusementdevice and more particularly to a race simulating game whereinparticipants cause objects such as racing cars or race horses to travelabout a race course.

The present invention comprises generally a game board or surface whichincludes a race course which may be of any desired configuration but isillustrated in the present instance as an oval. Racing figures such ashorses or automobiles are guided for movement along the race course andmagnetic means under control of the participants of the game andgenerally concealed beneath the game board are provided for propellingthe racing figures along the course.

The magnetic relationship between the racing figures at the top surfaceof the game board and the propulsion means beneath the board dispensesentirely with any necessity for mechanical connection between the racingfigures and the propulsion means. Further, an important aspect of theinvention resides in the fact that hydraulic conduit means are providedfor guiding the propulsion element beneath the game board in the desiredpath, coincident with the guide means at the top of the board whichdetermines the paths of the racing figures and the configuration of therace course.

In a preferred form of the invention the hydraulic pressure generatorfor activating the magnetic propulsion element beneath the board ismanually operated and individual manual hydraulic operators areprovided, one for each racing figure. In this form of the inventionseparate racing lanes are provided for the several racing figures andthe speed of each figure along the race course is determined by thespeed and dexterity of manual operation provided by the participant whois controlling the particular figure, as will appear more fully laterherein.

The apparent lack of physical or mechanical connection between theracing figures and the game surface proper, excepting for the guideformations, adds to the interest of the game and its appeal toparticipants and spectators. Furthermore, the entire absence ofmechanical connections or mechanisms other than the fluid pressuregenerating means themselves provides a game apparatus which isrelatively foolproof and not subject to mechanical failure.

A single embodiment of the teachings of the present invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawings and is described in thefollowing specification. However, it is to be understood that thepresent invention is not limited to the form thus shown which is setforth merely to illustrate the underlying principles of the invention.

Various modifications and rearrangements may be made without departingfrom the principles of the invention, the scope of which is limited onlyas defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a general pres-pective view of one form of the racing game ofthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional View taken approximately on theline IIIIII of FIG. 2.

Like characters of reference denote like parts throughout the severalfigures of the drawings and the numeral designates a panel whichcomprises the game surface proper and forms the general supportingcomponent and play surface of the apparatus. The panel 10 may besupported in any desired manner and in the present instance forms thetop member of a shallow box structure 11 which houses portions of theapparatus disposed beneath the panel 10. If desired the panel 10 may behinged to the box structure 11 to give convenient access to theapparatus located beneath the panel.

In the present example two racing lanes are shown but it is to beunderstood that any desired number of lanes may be provided and forcertain amusement purposes only a single course may be employed. In FIG.1 the numerals 12 and 13 designate raised guide formations extendingalong the upper surface of panel 10 generally parallel to each other andin the present instance, although not necessarily, in ovalconfiguration.

In the form shown herein the panel 10 may be of plastic or pressedfibreboard whereby the formations 12 and 13, and clearly shown in FIG.3, form channels designated 15 and 16, respectively, at the underside ofthe panel. Tubular conduits 18 and 19 are disposed within the channels15 and 16 which are thus formed and the latter thereby serve severalpurposes. First, disposing the conduits in the channels assures that theconduits are precisely coincident and in alignment with the formations12 and 13; second, the channels give secure lateral support to theconduits and facilitate securing them to the underside of panel 10; andthird, as will appear later herein, location of the tubular conduits inthe channels locates the conduits in intimate juxtaposition with respectto the formations 12 and 13 to provide efficient magnetic attractionbetween the racing figures and the means provided for impelling themalong the guide formations. The conduits 18 and 19 may be cemented intothe channel formations or may be secured therein in any other desiredmanner.

A piston 20 is disposed in each of the conduits 18 and 19 and thepistons are preferably rounded or tapered along their peripheries into aslight barrel shape to facilitate traversing the curved portions of theconduits 18 and 19. The pistons 20 are of iron or other magneticmaterial for relative attraction to magnet elements carried by theracing figures. In FIG. 1 the numeral 22 designates racing figures inthe form of miniature automobiles which are formed to straddle the guideformations 12 and 13. As shown in FIG. 3, each FIGURE 22 includes amagnet unit 23 extending transversely across the figure and the magnetunit may be of eificient horseshoe shape both to serve as the guidingcomponent of the figure in cooperation with the respective guideformation 12 or 13, as the case may be, and to cooperate effectivelywith the piston 20 in mutual magnetic attraction.

Various means may be provided for impelling the pistons 20 along throughthe conduits 18 and 19 by hydraulic or other fluid pressure to therebycarry the racing figures 22 along the guiding formations by reason ofthe aforesaid magnetic attraction. In the present instance fluid pumpunits shown in FIG. 2 at 25 and 26 connect with opposite ends of theconduits 18 and 19.

Various fluid displacement means may be employed but by way of examplethe present embodiment provides gear-type pumps with manual cranks 30and 31, respectively, disposed for convenient access along the panel 10at the top surface thereof, the pumps proper being preferably disposedbeneath the panel as shown. Various types of positive displacement orturbine type devices for creating differential fluid pressure may beemployed within the purview of the invention.

Since pumps of the type shown are freely reversible merely by operatingthe manual crank in one direction or the other, no valves or othercontrols are required, the interchangeable inlet and outlet ports of thepumps being connected to opposite ends of their respective associatedconduits 18 and 19. Turning a crank 30 or 31 in one direction moves thehydraulic fluid and the piston 20 in one direction through a conduit 18or 19 and vice versa.

The following describes a representative manner in which the game deviceof the present invention may be used. With the pistons 20 in thepositions indicated by the letter A in FIG. 2, the racing figures areplaced in corresponding positions so as to directly overlie the pistons20'. Two participants will then turn the two cranks 30 and 31 to movethe pistons in a clockwise direction about the course, the racingfigures being carried along by the aforesaid magnetic. attraction.

Generally speaking, the faster the cranks are turned the faster theracing figures will move. However, the magnetic attraction may berelatively limited in force, either intentionally or otherwise, and ifthe piston moves too rapidly it may leave the racing figure behind. Thiscan add considerable interest and attractiveness to the game since anover-eager participant may leave his racing figure behind and have toreverse his crank operation to go back and pick up the figure again byreturn movement of the piston 20.

The race may end when the racing figures and the associated pistonsreach the positions marked B in FIG. 2. In any event, in the form shownthe pistons will be arrested when they reach the bends in conduits 18and 19 where the latter leave the channels 15 and 16. When a race iscompleted the pistons 20 may be returned idly to the positions marked Abefore starting another race or, optionally, the next race may bestarted at the points marked B and proceed in an opposite direction,that is, clockwise.

While simulated racing cars are illustrated herein by way of example, itis to be understood that other figures may be employed such as horses,either running horses or harness horses, dogs, human runners, etc.Furthermore, while the present embodiment illustrates a permanent magnetcarried by the racing figure and a piston of iron which comprises anarmature for the magnet, this arrangement may be reversed. In fact, thepiston may comprise a permanent magnet and the racing figure may notembody a separate magnet or armature member but may itself be formedwholly or in part of iron or other magnetically permeable material.

In an alternative form of the apparatus of the present invention thetubular conduit members may be secured directly to the upper surface ofthe supporting panel and may thus serve directly as the guidingformations for the racing figures.

I claim:

1. Racing game apparatus comprising a generally horizontal panel, aplurality of generally parallel guide formations defining a plurality ofracing lanes of a race course atthe upper surface of said panel, atubular conduitat the underside of said panel in alignment with each ofsaid guide formations, a piston of magnetic material in each of saidconduits, a racing figure adapted to track along each of said guideformations, magnetic means on each of said racing figures for magneticattraction to the piston of the associated tubular conduit, and manuallyoperable pump means connected to each end of each of said tubularconduits for moving the piston thereof selectively in oppositedirections therein and consequently moving the associated racing figurealong the aligned guide formation, each racing figure being constrainedto its racing lane by its guide formation whereby magnetic connectionbetween said figure and its associated piston may be established orreestablished by movement of said piston in its conduit in a directiontoward the figure until registry with said figure occurs.

2. Racing game apparatus comprising a generally horizontal panel, aplurality of generally parallel guide formations defining a plurality ofracing lanes of a race course at the upper surface of said panel, saidguide formations including tubular conduit means extending in alignmenttherewith, a piston of magnetic material in each of said conduits, aracing figure adapted to track along each of said guide formations,magnetic means on each of said racing figures for magnetic attraction tothe piston of the associated tubular conduit means, and manuallyoperable pump means communicating with each of said tubular conduitmeans for moving the piston thereof selectively in opposite directionstherein and consequently moving the associated racing figure along thealigned guide formation, each racing figure being constrained to itsracing lane by its guide formation whereby magnetic connection betweensaid figure and its associated piston may be established orreestablished by movement of said piston in its conduit in a directiontoward the figure until registry with said figure occurs.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,624,641 1/1953Smith 3022 2,637,140 5/1953 Hoff 4624.0 2,778,692 1/1957 Makinson302'--14 2,786,680 3/1957 Northrop et 'al 27386 2,827,296 3/1958 Walker46-24O 2,832,177 4/1958 Mueller 46-244 3,120,389 2/1964 Lombard 27386FOREIGN PATENTS 448,133 6/1936 Great Britain. 881,084 11/1961 GreatBritain.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner. DELBERT B. LOWE, Examiner.

1. RACING GAME APPARATUS COMPRISING A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL PANEL, APLURALITY OF GENERALLY PARALLEL GUIDE FORMATIONS DEFINING A PLURALITY OFRACING LANES OF A RACE COURSE AT THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID PANEL, ATUBULAR CONDUIT AT THE UNGERSIDE OF SAID PANEL IN ALIGNMENT WITH EACH OFSAID GUIDE FORMATIONS, A PISTON OF MAGNETIC MATERIAL IN EACH OF SAIDCONDUITS, A RACING FIGURE ADAPTED TO TRACK ALONG EACH OF SAID GUIDEFORMATIONS, MAGNETIC MEANS ON EACH OF SAID RACING FIGURES FOR MAGNETICATTRACTION TO THE PISTON OF THE ASSOCIATED TUBULAR CONDUIT, AND MANUALLYOPERABLE PUMP MEANS CONNECTED TO EACH END OF EACH OF SAID TUBULARCONDUITS FOR MOVING THE PISTON THEREOF SELECTIVELY IN OPPOSITEDIRECTIONS THEREIN AND CONSEQUENTLY MOVING THE ASSOCIATED RACING FIGUREALONG THE ALIGNED GUIDE FORMATION, EACH RACING FIGURE BEING CONSTRAINEDTO ITS RACING LANE BY ITS GUIDE FORMATION WHEREBY MAGNETIC CONNECTIONBETWEEN SAID FIGURE AND ITS ASSOCIATED PISTON MAY BE ESTABLISHED ORREESTABLISHED BY MOVEMENT OF SAID PISTON IN ITS CONDUIT IN A DIRECTIONTOWARD THE FIGURE UNTIL REGISTRY WITH SAID FIGURE OCCURS.